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Latinicity Brunch

BitchBiz: Richard Sandoval Restaurants partners with Bitches Who Brunch. While this article was written independently, we do receive compensation from the company.

Sushi or hamburgers, tacos or stir fry…how about all of the above? That’s the name of the game at Latinicity Food Hall and Lounge, in Chicago. Brought to you by world-renowned Chef Richard Sandoval, and Executive Chef Marcos Flores, Latinicity is a unique concept that brings the flavors of the Latin street food scene to life in a busy city in the Midwest.

On the third floor of Block 37, in Chicago’s Loop, like an oasis sits Latinicity. As soon as you walk into the large space you are immediately transported into an unexpected experience that enlightens the senses.

The space is composed of eight food stations that are all unique in themselves, offering various dishes that are sure to satisfy any and all cravings. Each of the stations flows with the Latin street food vibe while presenting a wide variety to diners.

I visited along with two friends on a terribly rainy spring, Sunday morning. We all admitted to one another that we had skipped breakfast and saved up for brunch, with the knowledge that both food and drinks included in Latinicity’s brunch are bottomless.

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The brunch special at Latinicity is unique and, in my opinion, a fabulous deal. Diners can choose between the bottomless brunch special, which includes the bottomless brunch, mimosas, Bloody Marys and house sangria, all for $34.99; or, diners can opt for the All-You-Can-Eat Brunch, which is exclusive to food, for $19.99. It’s important to note that there is a two-hour limit around the bottomless portion of both options. But that was plenty of time for us!

As we made our way into the space and selected our brunch, we were each equipped with a colorful prepaid card. As you make your way from station to station, you are asked to swipe your card, making the experience even easier and just so much fun.

To be honest, as we began our experience, the three of us must have looked like little kids who had just been released into a candy store. We walked past each of the stations and drooled slightly while reviewing the menus, eyes bugging out and finally made the educated decision to re-group with each other and figure out a game plan.

Our final plan: one of us was responsible for beverages (two Bloodys and one house rosa sangria,) and the other two were responsible for procuring the food. I went straight for the Mariscos station as the fish tacos had caught my eye. However, on the way there I saw that the Machefe Taqueria had chips and guacamole on the menu and considering I was on the verge of hangry, I made a quick pit stop and had a few scoops while waiting for the fish tacos. In addition to the fish tacos, I ordered a smoked swordfish dip for the table to share.

While I was off grabbing my items, my friend was headed for the Saladero Latin Grill to grab some of the chicken poblano empanadas, and then it was over to Chaufa Wok for a plate of the lomo saltado with egg noodles. Yum!

We convened back at our table with all of our goodies and we were ready to eat. This type of brunch may not be for everyone as there were many different dishes spread across the table, with different flavors. However, this is one of my favorite ways to experience food.

The beverages were great. The Bloodys were make-your-own and packed with flavor. Now let’s walk through all of the other items that we got to enjoy. (And I’ll be honest from the get-go, there was nothing that I did not like.)

The fish tacos, made with fried mahi mahi, poblano tartar sauce, and topped with slaw, were lovely and packed the perfect kick. They were also a great size, as we each were able to enjoy one and it was just enough, especially considering we were sharing so much. The smoked swordfish dip, also from the Mariscos station, was unreal. None of us had ever tried a dip of this sort, but I will definitely be ordering it again if I see it on another menu. It’s made with a delicious aioli, a spicy pickled jalapeno, mixed with tomato and served with tortilla chips. The dip was not overly fishy at all and the fish mixed wonderfully with the pickled jalapeno.

Next up were the chicken poblano empanadas. These guys might have been one of my favorite things we had during this meal. The filling was more similar to a pulled-pork, but with a little more spice and the chicken was so moist, paired with the flaky bread wrapping.

The final dish to grace our presence was the lomo saltado with egg noodles from the Chaufa Wok. This dish isn’t one you typically see at a brunch table, but I’m sure glad it made its way to ours.

The noodles were stir fried with strips of hanger steak, tomato, onion, cilantro, soy jus and crispy fries. I could not stop eating this dish. We all took a few first bites from the plate, but I kept going back for more. Stir fry can often be overly rich and greasy, but this one was well balanced and the components all paired well together.

The Bitches Say: A. Latinicity is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner and each of the stations offer different menu items. It is a great spot to visit with big groups and small as the menu options are sure to suit everyone’s needs and reservations are not needed.